A Friend in Need
by peacejaw
Summary: Samantha decides to befriend someone in the crew, someone who seems to need another friend. Edited. Please R & R, thanks! Takes place shortly after 'Ex Post Facto'.


**Disclaimer: **The usual disclaimers apply here: I don't own Star Trek: _Voyager_, or any of its main characters. I do own this story, however, and all original characters.

**Pairs: **W/Greskrendtregk, Kes & Neelix

**Rating:** G

**Author's Note:** Takes place shortly after 'Ex Post Facto'.

**Summary:** Samantha decides to befriend someone in the crew, someone who seems to need another friend.

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A Friend in Need by peacejaw

Ensign Samantha Wildman sat down at her usual table in the mess-hall and began eating her lunch. After a few bites, she paused long enough to look around at the other people in the mess-hall and was mildly surprised to see Tom Paris eating lunch with Harry Kim as usual.

She had assumed that with Tom's recent experiences on the Banean homeworld, he would have been given time off to deal with what he'd been through. She'd also assumed that Tom would have chosen to make himself scarce during his first few days back on _Voyager_. Apparently, she was wrong, at least about Tom making himself scarce. And if she was wrong about that, then what else could she be wrong about?

Like almost everyone else on _Voyager_, she had avoiding avoided getting to know the man known as Tom Paris since _Voyager's_ arrival in the Delta Quadrant. She could remember what he'd done while he was a part of Starfleet and the Maquis both. But was she right to judge Tom based on what'd happened on those two occasions? She wasn't quite sure of that just yet.

Taking a few more bites of food, she continued to watch Tom and Harry talk quietly as they finished eating their own meals. Being the son of the great Admiral Paris couldn't have been an easy task, not when Owen Paris was known as a difficult man to get along with. She could only imagine what it was like growing up as Owen Paris's son; a father pushing his son to succeed at everything he did, a son pushing his father in order to find his own way in life; the constant tug of war continuing until someone pushed too far. That was probably the normal way of life for Tom Paris as he was growing up.

So where did that leave Tom? What happened to cause Tom to go down the self-destructive path that ended up with him in prison? She wasn't sure, but she could guess. Tom could have been pushed too far, too hard, too quickly for too long, but she didn't think so. She'd never heard him speak of being pushed too hard, of having too many expectations holding him back, or anything else of the sort. In fact, she'd heard him take full responsibility for his actions, even if, at times, it was a bit delayed.

Did that mean that Tom purposely screwed up his own life? It was certainly a possibility. She knew that it was sometimes easier to be a failure than to be the person that you're supposed to be, or whatever you think that you're supposed to be. Even if Tom knew that he could be someone special, she suspected that Tom might not consider himself worthy of the journey to find himself.

A double standard to be sure, but it was a possibility. And it was also possible that Tom had been living that way for most of his life. Maybe that was why Tom hid behind the cocky self assurance, the arrogance, the pride, and the constant child-like playfulness.

No wonder there weren't too many people on _Voyager_ who were willing to get to know Tom, not many people wanted to look beyond Tom's mask. She hadn't wanted to before now, and the only reason she was now doing so was because of what'd happened on the Banean homeworld.

Looking down at her plate again, she was startled to realize that she'd finished her lunch. So she pushed her plate away and looked back at Tom, who was still talking to Harry.

She'd heard that unlike most of the crew, he had not lost a whole lot when _Voyager_ landed in the Delta Quadrant. She knew that Tom had been in the process of serving time in a Federation penal colony when Janeway had offered him a chance at freedom. What was left of his family had distanced them-selves from Tom when he'd been convicted of working for the Maquis, or so she'd heard. The few friends he had, conveniently gotten disappeared when he'd been court-marshaled. So there wasn't much to look forward to back in the Alpha Quadrant for Tom Paris, at least, not at the moment.

But here in the Delta Quadrant, she knew that Tom had everyday responsibilities to contend with, giving him another chance to grow and mature into the person he'd always wanted to be, or destined to be. So why weren't more people willing to give the man a chance to spread his wings?

Watching Harry rise and leave the mess-hall all together, she made the decision to have a talk with Tom. So she rose and made her way over to Tom's table. At her approach, he looked up at her and smiled.

She smiled back, sat down across from him, and asked, "How are you doing today, Tom?"

He shrugged as if his answer didn't matter. "All right, I guess. Yourself?"

"Not bad, thanks." She locked eyes with Tom as she asked, "Did the Captain give you some time off?"

"Two days worth," Tom conceded slowly.

"That's good. Do you have any plans to fill that much time off?"

"Not really. Why?"

Samantha shrugged. "Just wondering."

"Uh-huh."

"Really!" she insisted with a smile beginning to form on her lips.

"What-ever..."

"Okay ... you found me out; I wanted the chance to get to know you better." At the look he gave her, she quickly explained. "When I heard what'd happened on the Banean homeworld, I began to realize how little I know about you and decided that I wanted to rectify that."

She watched Tom lean back in his chair as he smirked at her. "You do realize who you're talking to, don't you?"

"Yes I do; and yes, I know that you were kicked out of Starfleet after Caldik Prime and of your time in a Federation penal colony. That's a part of your life from before _Voyager_, a part of your past. We all have our pasts, Tom. You've taken full responsibility for what'd happened back then, and that's what counts in my book. I'm just sorry that it took me so long to realize that." She sighed, regretting the fact that his past actions colored her judgment of who Tom was. "From what I can see, you're thriving under the second chance that Janeway's given you. To me, that says quite a bit about the person you're becoming. I just wanted the chance to get to know the person you're becoming, if you agree to it that is...?"

"I'd like that," Tom agreed after a moment.

"Good..."

"How about we meet up here for dinner tonight? Both Harry and B'Elanna have other plans tonight and I was trying to figure out what I was going to do for dinner when you walked up..."

"I'd like that." And, it seemed, she did. Tom was willing to get to her, which could only mean that they were on their way to becoming good friends. "Then I will see you later."

"You got it."

She nodded, stood, and left the mess-hall feeling better than when she'd first arrived. There was, after all, hope that she could make friends with someone in need of a friend.

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-Finished


End file.
